1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding machine used on a manufacturing production line, and particularly to an automatic feeding machine which transfers semi-manufactured products between two dies that operate with different stamping frequencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
The stamping process of a product with a complicated structure is often completed by two sets of stamping machines. Firstly, a raw material is stamped by a progressive die to form a continuous series of discrete semi-manufactured products. Then the semi-manufactured products are transferred to a single station die to complete the stamping process. Typically, a frequency of stamping of the progressive die is greater than a frequency of processing of the single station die. Therefore the semi-manufactured product cannot be transferred from the progressive die to the single station die directly. Accordingly, either of the two following means of transferring is adopted in order to smoothly transfer the semi-manufactured products between the two dies.
The first means of transferring requires manual work by operators. A first operator removes the semi-manufactured products from the progressive die, and piles them on a worktable between the progressive die and the single station die. Then a second operator takes the semi-manufactured products away from the worktable, and puts them onto the single station die. This means of transferring is highly labor-intensive, and correspondingly inefficient.
The second means of transferring is achieved via an automatic worktable and a manipulator. Firstly, an operator removes the semi-manufactured products one by one from the progressive die, and piles them on the automatic worktable. Then the manipulator takes the semi-manufactured products away from the automatic worktable, and puts them on the single station die. Once the topmost semi-manufactured product is taken away from the automatic worktable, the next semi-manufactured product is automatically raised a predetermined height in order to facilitate the next operation. This means of transferring saves manpower. However, it is only feasible for semi-manufactured products which have a regular shape that allows them to be stacked on the worktable.
Thus, an automatic feeding machine which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.